


A Year in Emails

by sofiyathealmostwriter



Series: Michael: From Breakup to Makeup [2]
Category: The Princess Diaries - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Humor, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:02:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28168926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sofiyathealmostwriter/pseuds/sofiyathealmostwriter
Summary: The dozens of emails sent between Mia and Michael following their break up and prior to Michael coming back to New York. Read as their friendship builds back up over their year (technically 1.5 years) of messaging and how they manage to transition from exes to friends.
Relationships: JP Reynolds-Abernathy IV/Mia Thermopolis, Michael Moscovitz/Mia Thermopolis
Series: Michael: From Breakup to Makeup [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2141046
Kudos: 12





	A Year in Emails

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a sort-of sequel to https://archiveofourown.org/works/28103328 (a take on Michael after the breakup).
> 
> Also, there is some canon-convergence because Mia describes her and Michael's messages as "strictly light and impersonal", but nonetheless I had a lot of fun writing them.

**September 26**

SKINNERBX: Nice of you to finally write me back, Thermopolis.

Just kidding. I’m sure you’ve been really busy with princess duties, precalculus, and the paper. It sounds crazy having to deal with all that in addition to the reconstruction of your entire country’s sovereignty system.

Everything here is going pretty well. We’re basically working all day every day on Charlie and I’m actually really excited by our prospects. It seems like this could actually work and help the world. And almost as exciting as that, I found a place that makes great egg sandwiches any time of day!

Michael

**October 1**

FTLOUIE: Michael,

I’m glad to hear about how well your project is going (and hope you’re finding some time to enjoy your new surroundings in ways that don’t involve egg sandwiches). I’m sure that you’ll have cured every medical problem in the world by Christmas.

Not much to update about my life at the moment. Precalculus is still rough, Grandmère is still mad about my speech, and the paper has been... well, you probably know.

Mia

**October 11**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Have not found the cure to brain cancer yet, but Charlie is now able to differentiate between a scalpel and a needle, so that’s a good step. Some coworkers have talked about going out for karaoke (I’m sure you know how exciting that sounds to me), but I don’t really have the energy (or desire).

Try getting Mr. G to help with your precalculus, you do really well when someone helps you map everything out a bit better. As for Genovia, your grandmother can get over it, I’ve only seen good things said about your speech. And like I said about Lilly: give her time, you know how she is. 

Michael

**October 23**

FTLOUIE: Michael,

You should definitely try karaoke and I will list my reasons why:

1) you already like to sing (okay maybe not mainstream stuff like Britney or J-Lo, but I’m sure you could find a Blink-182 song in there) _and_ are good at it

2) it’s a really big part of Japanese culture

3) you need to do something fun that doesn’t involve a robot.

It’s really great to hear about how well the project is going, I’m sure that your hard work is going to pay off. 

Thanks for the advice and words of encouragement, everything seems to be looking up. Except that Grandmère has extended my princess lessens yet again. Her excuse is that I haven’t been showing the proper attention level it needs, but I know it’s just my punishment. Oh well, she’s old and needs the entertainment, I guess.

Mia

**November 18**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Sorry it’s been a minute. Work has been a lot, but we’re making good progress so I really can’t complain. Hope these updates aren’t getting annoying. Social life is also going surprisingly well, and I can assure you that I leave the lab every once and a while. 

Happy to see that all the news about Genovia is still positive; I think your decision will really make a difference in the long run. And I’m sure your dad will do great as Prime Minister one day.

Hope you’re doing well,

Michael

**November 24**

FTLOUIE: Michael,

Happy Thanksgiving. Not sure if you’re celebrating there (understandably if not since it _does_ have very problematic origins). Still, I hope you’re able to find something turkey flavored (maybe some festive seaweed?)

I’m doing fine. Mr. G is dragging me through precalculus, and my dad seems less angry now. Rocky has been incredibly cute lately but has developed the unfortunate habit of hiding my shoes for NO reason.

Also, speaking of Thanksgiving, this will be my first in many years actually eating turkey. I am no longer a full-time vegetarian.

Mia

**December 1**

SKINNERBX: Woah, woah, woah. Stop right there. You, _Mia Thermopolis_ , Princess of Genovia, are no longer a vegetarian? When did this happen?

I can’t even think of anything else to write after that bombshell. 

Michael

**December 13**

FTLOUIE: It’s been a few months... it just kind of happened one day, no real reason why. Maybe I was having some deficiency of tyrosine or whatever and it triggered a need to eat meat. And anyway, I just said I’m not a full-time vegetarian; I nowhere near a carnivore. 

Moving on, I read that some investors came to get an update on Charlie and were really impressed with the work you’ve done so far, congratulations! I’m so happy to hear that it’s going so well.

P.S. Happy early Hanukkah!

**December 25**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Hold up, Thermopolis. Have you been reading _medical papers_? Because that’s the only place where you’d be able to read that kind of stuff. Gotta admit, I’m impressed you have the time considering you’re probably in Genovia. The investors were really nice, but I don’t think they realized that we actually thought we’d be further along with the project at this point. It looks like it’s going to take longer than we originally hoped.

Wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. With the time difference, I hope I’m the first.

(Insert animation of Santa Clause flying from Japan to Genovia)

Hope you get everything you want this year,

Michael

**December 31**

FTLOUIE: Dear Michael,

Is it still okay to call you that? Or do you go by Dr. Moscovitz at this point? Yes, I have found some time in my _busy_ schedule to read a medical article. They’re not too bad once you get over the lack of personality.

Sorry to hear that Charlie is not being as cooperative as the press seems to think, but I know that you’ll get it working soon enough.

Wanted to wish you a Happy New Year. With the time difference, I hope _I’m_ the first. I also want to wish you an early happy birthday. I really hope you spend it doing something actually FUN.

All the best,

Mia

P.S. Would like to point out that I had to sneak into the Genovian palace security office extremely early in order to send this message.

**January 10**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Assuming it’s still fine to call you that? Should I start adding HRH before your name now? Michael is still fine (for now). No new updates about Charlie, he’s been about as _angelic_ as Rocky at the moment.

I hope you get some time to enjoy your winter break and aren’t being bombarded with state dinners. I know you have SATs coming up this semester and are probably stressing about the math section. 

Anyway, thanks for the well wishes, my birthday was pretty good, and I did manage to go out and do something “FUN”.

Michael

P.S. Thanks for risking your life (or more likely pool privileges) to write me back.

**January 28**

FTLOUIE: Dr. Moscovitz III,

Thank you for the reminder about SATs, Mr. G actually made me bring my math prep book with me to Genovia and I had Tina check my work when I wasn’t stuck at those state dinners.

Wanted to give you a major update that Rocky has officially said my name. I got back home a few days ago and he was so excited to see me that he actually said Mia (okay, _maybe_ it could have just sounded like Mia, but I’m taking the win).

Sincerely,

HRH Princess Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi

**February 12**

SKINNERBX: Fine, you win. I would prefer not to be called by the same name as my parents.

Super cool about the Rocky news, I know you stressing about his development (for no reason, by the way). And I’m glad you found some time to practice your polynomials.

Hope the new semester is going well. This part of junior year is really stressful; don’t let it overwhelm you. Speaking of which, do you have any idea what kinds of colleges you want to apply to next year?

Michael

**March 1**

FTLOUIE: _No_ , I have been trying to actively avoid thinking about college. I’m taking the SATs in a few weeks and that’s enough stress for me. And besides, if we’re really being honest, does it matter what I want? I can guess what most colleges will think after they see the royal Genovian letterhead on my essays.

Also, I read another article and it sounds like you’re making progress with Charlie again. Something about the precision increasing by a trillion percent or whatever.

Mia

P.S. Just a tip from experience. Might want to try keeping your eyes open when getting your photograph taken for international news articles.

P.P.S. Are you sure your hair isn’t blocking your line of vision?

**March 20**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Assuming you’ve taken the test, congratulations! I know you did well. And don’t be so cynical about college; at the end of the day, only your opinion is the one that matters. Don’t let anyone else make the decision for you.

Yeah, I don’t quite think we’re back on track, but we’re getting by okay. No major updates. 

And just so you know, my mom happened to agree with your sentiment and I finally got a haircut. The guy asked if I wanted to look likes J-pop star (uh, no), but the cut ended up being okay.

(Insert cartoon of a cat saying “Keep your head up!)

Michael

**April 12**

FTLOUIE: My score came back. It’s pretty much what you’d expect. But as quickly as that ended, they began reminding us about our senior projects for next year. It seems like everyone already has something they want to do: Boris with his violin, your sister with her show, etc. I can’t even imagine what I’ll do, write a book about when to use which fork? How to deal with your mother marrying your algebra teacher?

What did you do again? Create some incredible computer program that was able to calculate and predict every single East Coast sporting event result (and by what margin)? Or, no, was it starting a rock band? Or maintaining a successful online webzine? 

Tell Charlie I said hi,

Mia

**April 30**

SKINNERBX: Ha ha, I actually did do a computer program, but it really only focused on _local_ sports teams.

And honestly, that’s not a bad idea. Maybe focus on a topic that doesn’t involve silverware, but I definitely think you could write a book. Maybe consider trading in your journal for an actual laptop?

Wishing you a happy birthday and a reminder that your 17th birthday is the only excuse to listen to ABBA. Charlie also wishes you a good day.

(Insert blonde princess twirling while singing “Dancing Queen”)

Michael

**May 4**

FTLOUIE: Michael,

Hmm that’s not a bad idea... Glad Charlie is doing good enough to wish people happy birthdays, Rocky almost managed to tell me as well. And although I didn’t get the Rockefeller center ice rink to open this year, it was quite lovely.

I’m spending a majority of today watching Princess Leia some major kick butt, hope you can find some time in your busy schedule to do so as well.

May the 4th be with you,

Mia

P.S. _NEVER_ disrespect ABBA like that again or I will send Lars all the way to Japan. He thinks that “Super Trouper” is a masterpiece.

**May 23**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

I’m extremely happy to know that Charlie and Rocky seem to be developing at the same rate. Unfortunately, we hit another bump in the road. But it’s fine, nothing we can’t fix.

I (sadly) did not get a chance to watch the trilogy, but I did think about Princess Leia late into the night as I was working on my coding. She was a nice comfort to me.

Are you still going back to Genovia for the summer? Or are your relatives still angry enough to keep you away? (They have no reason to be though, the Genovian public seems quite happy about the changes happening)

Michael

**June 1**

FTLOUIE: Dear Michael,

Sorry about the mishaps you’ve had, but I repeat that I have no doubts that you’ll figure it all out. You’re one of the smartest person I have ever met; you’ll get it all straight and will go back to saving the world one heart surgery at a time.

Yes, I will be in Genovia for the _whole summer_ to make up for pushing it off last year after Rocky was born. My dad still throws an irritated look every once and a while and Grandmère is as hostile as ever but oh well? I’ll have some friends visiting me while I’m here and at least I’ll be able to work on my senior project some more.

Best,

Mia

**June 13**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Hope Genovia is treating you well and that you’re having a good time. If I were you, I’d probably hide at the beach and read or whatever.

Of course, being a princess, you probably don’t have that luxury…

Japan is hot this time of year and I think it’s making everyone a bit on edge (including Charlie). I can’t believe it’s almost been a year since we started.

Michael

**July 30**

FTLOUIE: Dear Michael,

Genovia has been… A lot. You were right, the people don’t seem to be annoyed with me and the press hasn’t been too bad. But my family is an entirely different story. Even the ones who were never going to rule seem irritated with me. 

But, whatever, it’s fine. I’m getting some good work done on my senior project and even started writing out my college essays.

Mia

**August 8**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Happy to hear from you, even if it seems like you’re having a lousy time. I’m glad you’re working on your project, what topic did you end up picking?

Good luck starting your senior year, I know you’ll be great.

Michael

**September 4**

FTLOUIE: Dear Michael,

Finally back in the States and feeling so relieved. Rocky got so much bigger during the months I was away; you wouldn’t even believe it. I know for sure this time when he saw me he was actually saying Mia.

I’m still working out the kinks in my project so best keep it secret for now. I’ll let you know soon enough.

Read up on your project and it seems like it’s going well? I hope you were able to get a lot of stuff done this summer.

Mia

**September 14**

SKINNERBX: Gotta admit, I’d love to see how much Rocky’s grown since I last saw him. Soon enough he’ll be going away for college or joining a rock band or something.

Yeah, we got some work done. Some doctors have been coming in to test the tech and it seems to be going okay. How has the start of the new school year been?

Michael

**September 30**

FTLOUIE: Dear Michael,

I’ve attached a photo of my adorable brother for you. _Please_ do not reference him growing up ever again or it’ll send me into hysterics.

As for school, I seem to remember how calm you were during your senior year and I can’t understand how. Between studying, college apps, my senior project, princess duties, and the paper, I don’t seem to have time for anything else. Please Obi-Wan, tell me your ways?

Send my regards to Charlie,

Mia

**October 9**

SKINNERBX: Mia,

Thanks for the photo, not to be cliché, but he really has gotten so big!

My dear pupil, what you didn’t see about me senior year is how little I slept and long I worked, especially during those first few months. It gets easier after the college stuff ends, but it still isn’t easy. You can totally get through it though; I know you can.

(insert animation of a ginger cat waving a sign that says “you can do it!”)

Michael

**October 22**

FTLOUIE: Michael,

 _Seriously_ , how do you do it? You’re in Japan working on a freaking robot and you still manage to send me cartoons while I’m drowning in high school.

Applications are finally done and you were right, it has gotten a little easier. I sometimes get assigned cool pieces to do for the paper, which is nice.

Haven’t seen any new updates on Charlie, is it still going well?

Mia

**November 3**

SKINNERBX: Mia, I spend like 15 hours a day on my computer, I can spare 5 minutes. But yeah, the project is fine. I just hope we can finish by the time my hair starts greying. 

And, hey, senior year is hard. Trust me, I know. Just hang in there and you’ll get through it soon enough. Any idea what school you’d want to go to yet? I’m sure any place would be lucky to have you (and I mean you as Mia, not Princess Amelia).

Best,

Michael

**November 10**

FTLOUIE: Just be thankful you’ll probably get to see your hair grey. My dad’s still ultra-bald and… It just looks so shiny. I almost laugh when he gets mad at me now cause I can see his whole head get red.

No, I’m honestly not even going to think about college until I get my decisions back. Just going to focus on my project and classes for now.

I know you’re working a lot, but I really do hope you’re having fun. I mean, you do realize that you’re in _Japan_ , right? Try to take in the culture while you can!

Mia

**November 27**

SKINNERBX: Mia,

Happy Thanksgiving! I’m sure you’re spending it at some fancy dinner party. That reminds me, are you still a meat-eater? Because that continues to blow my mind.

I have spent some time getting to know Japan. It’s honestly really cool here and I think you’d really like it actually. I’ve gotten to go down to Tokyo a few times and it’s so different from New York. I even got to see their palace (the princess wasn’t home, or else I would’ve dropped by and said hi for you).

Michael

**December 8**

FTLOUIE: Ha ha, yes, I still indulge in a hamburger once in a while and now just eat whatever is presented to me at those state dinners.

Japan sounds amazing. I would love to visit one day, but I probably would have to coordinate with the princess (Jeez, someone tell me 5 years ago that I would have ever said that).

Off topic, but the funniest thing happened at lunch today and it made me think of you. Boris mentioned that one day he may trade in his violin for an electric guitar or something. We all started laughing, but he was like, “no, I’m completely serious! Sometimes I wonder if Usher is more for me than Chopin!” We were all still laughing until we realized that he was being completely serious, and then we shut up real fast. Except for Tina, who seemed to have a mild aneurysm and spit her Coke right onto Boris.

Poor Boris had to calm down Tina _while_ dabbing his sweater (still tucked into his pants by the way) with a napkin. Again, it was the funniest thing I’d seen in a long time.

Happy Hanukkah,

Mia

**December 15**

SKINNERBX: That is so classic Boris and Tina. I almost can’t believe that they’re still together, but it also makes so much sense that I’m not even going to question it. Maybe wherever Boris ends up going will let him take guitar classes too.

Work has been tough lately so thanks for the laugh.

Hope your trip to Genovia is good.

Michael

**December 27**

FTLOUIE: Dear Michael,

Honestly those two were kind of made for each other (in the weirdest way possible). They’re super happy though so that’s what really matters.

Wanted to wish you a happy New Years and birthday, I hope you get to spend it doing something fun. Unfortunately for me, it seems like I’m stuck with just Grandmère and a few cousins for the holiday. We’re going to have another dinner party (shocking), but maybe René will get caught with a scullery maid again this year and we’ll have to cut the party short.

Mia

P.S. I finally finished my senior project and am handing it in as soon as we get back.

**January 6**

SKINNERBX: Dear Mia,

Birthday was good. It was honestly weird to turn 21 here since the minimum drinking age here is 20 anyway.

Yikes, sorry you couldn’t get Tina or anyone else to join you this year. Hope it was fun (or ended early due to some big scandal). If I remember anything from the holidays there, a scandal is always waiting around the corner.

Congrats on officially being a second-semester senior and for finishing your project! What’s the topic?

Michael

**January 30**

FTLOUIE: Weird, I guess I never thought about how 21 isn’t that important of a birthday to most of the world. Whatever, I hope your friends at least dragged you to some type of bar or something (karaoke, drag, whatever of your choosing).

Yeah, well. I got to escape early enough to avoid seeing my grandmother making out with some long-lost Duke or something at midnight, which is a win in my book.

Don’t laugh, but it’s on the history of Genovian olive oil presses, circa 1254-1650. I guess being in Genovia inspired me.

Mia

**February 7**

SKINNERBX: Woah, the history of Genovian olive oil presses, circa 1254-1650? Cool, Thermopolis. Can I read it?

Michael

P.S. Please never mention your grandmother and making out ever again.

**February 15**

FTLOUIE: Dear Michael,

Wanted to let you know that Rocky is obsessed with space. Maybe he’ll grow up to be an astronaut.

And are you kidding? It’s 400 pages of pure facts about _olive oil pressing_.

Mia

**February 28**

SKINNERBX: Happy to hear he’s interested in science, maybe he’ll find robots cool someday too.

I don’t care however long it is and I’m not kidding. It sounds cool.

Michael

**March 4**

FTLOUIE: Michael, it’s 400 pages _single-spaced_ and in 9-point font. Trust me when I tell you, you don’t want to read it. Not to mention, it’s _really_ boring.

Mia

**March 12**

SKINNERBX: I’ll enlarge it when I get it, boom, problem solved. And I don’t believe that anything you write could be boring. Send me a copy. 

Also been meaning to ask, how’s your dad feeling about his race for prime minister? It at least looks like he’s in the lead from the articles I’ve read.

Michael

* * *

Soon after that message was sent, Michael had planned on telling Mia that it looked like he was going to be going back home to New York City soon. He figured she ought to know before the press started talking about it (he knew for sure that some pop culture magazine would find a way to include her in the story). They had been making quick progress with the project as of late and he wanted to give her an update about that as well. 

But Michael never got to tell Mia that he was coming home because she never answered his last message. As soon as she read the email, she yelped out loud.

“Is everything okay, babe?” J.P. asked her from where he was sitting on her bed. Mia quickly glanced to see if he was watching her, but he was still scribbling notes down in his script.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry.” She turned back to her computer and re-read the message. _Seriously?_ She was only telling people that her book was on olive oil pressing because no one would ever want to read it! Especially 400 pages of it!

But of course, she should have known Michael would ask her. He was the type of person who could find a book about the history of socks interesting. Who knows, maybe he was just being friendly?

She quickly typed out a message to reply, but then deleted it immediately. She re-wrote another one, and then another, and another. There was no way she was going to get out of it.

But _no_ , no way was she ever going to tell her ex-boyfriend that she wrote a romance novel. _Especially_ one with so many sex scenes. Oh God, what if he assumed that she wrote those because she was sleeping with J.P.? Not that it would matter, I mean. She’s completely at liberty to sleep with J.P. She’s completely over Michael Moscotivz and in love with J.P. so it would be totally fine for her to be sleeping with J.P. If that’s what she wanted.

But anyway, it’s not like she’d ever even mentioned dating J.P. to Michael. Maybe he didn’t know at all.

Except, of course, there were cameras around them _everywhere_ they went…

But Michael was way too busy to even see stuff like that, right? So busy that she had stopped asking about his work altogether, cause it just seemed like they weren’t ever going to be finished. 

After re-writing her message for about the 10th time, Mia resolved that she wasn’t going to answer it and promptly clicked DELETE. It’s not like he would keep asking for it, and maybe eventually she’d be able to write him back and he’d just forget about it. He had way more important things on his mind. There was no reason for him to even remember something as silly as her senior project.

No, no reason at all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Hope you enjoyed the story. Would like to mention how Mia is still dealing with her depression throughout all of these messages, and that Michael is probably in a not-so-great place himself. All the writing was intentional (including the transition where Mia starts to open up again). 
> 
> Again, hope you enjoyed it! 
> 
> Disclaimer: Meg Cabot owns all rights to the characters depicted here, the general storyline, and Genovia of course!


End file.
